Decision: The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman

In June 1961, President Truman's company, HST Associates, entered into an agreement with David Susskind's production company, Talent Associates, Ltd. By the terms of the agreement, Truman was to participate in the production of a series of hour long films about his presidency. Susskind produced two episodes, but was unable to sell his project to broadcasters, and abandoned it.

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In early 1963, he sold the rights, film, and other materials associated with the Truman series to Screen Gems, Inc. At the same time, Independence Productions, Inc., the corporation that Truman formed to undertake the documentary film project, entered into an agreement with Screen Gems, Inc., to produce 26 half-hour television films about Truman's presidency. Independence Productions, Inc., is identified in the agreement as the holder to "the exclusive motion picture, radio, television, mechanical rendition and recording rights in and to" Truman's memoirs and Truman apparently considered the purpose of the documentary project to be to produce a film version of his memoirs. The Screen Gems, Inc., production crew began work at the Truman Library in May 1963.

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The 26 episodes that were produced, called Decision: The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman, were broadcast beginning in November 1964. By early 1965 the Decision episodes were being carried by television stations that reached about 70% of American households. In March 1965, American Cinema Editors named Truman the outstanding television personality of 1964.

Each episode of this series features President Truman looking back on his life and presidency and describing why he made the decisions he did.

Unfortunately, the Decision series is copyright Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the Truman Library may not reproduce any episodes without their consent. However, outtakes to the Decision series are in the public domain. Please refer to our Screen Gems Collection for more information.